Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) determined characteristics in lymphoid cells

The results presented indicate that the presence of N phosphatase (N apase) can distinguish cells of lymphoid origin. In the previous mouse studies it was not found in myeloid leukemias. When peripheral blast cells of acute myeloid leukemia patients were assayed, the enzyme was absent in all in contrast to its regular presence in the cells of chronic lymphatic leukemia patients. The human cell lines studied included also nonlymphoma derived B cell lines. Thus N apase is present in lymphoblasts, though not in mitogen stimulated ones. The presence of N apase in the serum of patients with acute infectious mononucleosis motivates further studies concerning its cellular control. The regular absence of N apase in cells of myeloid origin can be exploited as a cell marker and possibly also as a diagnostic tool.